It is a fact that I am dreading reviewing magnum opuses that Bollywood seems to be churning out since Thugs Of Hindostan. Everything about Kalank reeks of extravagance and yet, when it comes to EQ the film gets extremely stingy. Satya (Sonakshi Sinha) is happily married to Dev (Aditya Roy Kapur). She loves him so much that she insists he takes on another wife. Of course, Satya has her reasons, which is amply explained. Given Dev will do anything to make his wife happy, he marries Roop (Alia Bhatt). Roop, as her name suggests, is the epitome of beauty but when it comes to winning over her husband, the only thing she gains is his respect not his love. Love is something she can never have from Dev, which is very magnanimously explained by him after they are married. Her marriage into the rich illustrious family of the Chaudhary’s is stifling for the young bride. Eventually, she starts looking for an escape, Roop manages to get her husband to let her learn music and dance from a nautch girl Bahaar Begum (Madhuri Dixit) Begum lives in a sprawling mansion in the bad-end of the town. Of course, Roop takes to Begum and the homies without batting an eyelid. But everything goes topsy turvy when she meets Zafar (Varun Dhawan). Slowly and steadily, Dev’s disinterest and Zafar’s charm start working on Roop. As soon as Begum gets a whiff of what’s brewing, she tries to stop Zafar. For a boy born out of wedlock to parents who refused to accept him, Zafar doesn’t feel too empathetic towards his mother’s advice or his father Balraj Chaudhary (Sanjay Dutt)’s family. Given Kalank was touted to be a dream project with such an illustrious star cast, it is shocking how uninspired it leaves the audience. Despite the Bhansali-esque grandeur you feel short-changed through the three hours that you spend in waiting for Abhishek Varman to conclude things. Kalank being a love-story, let’s get to the main ingredient of the screen play – the chemistry between Bhatt and Dhawan. Their comfort level on the sets is poles apart. While Varun just fits into his character, Alia seems lost in the grandiose setting around her. Clearly, the only ones who have done their job and done it well are Pravin Tambe (set designer) and Binod Pradhan (cinematographer).